


Blue Eyes and Kiss Red Lips

by zoeteniets



Series: It's a cliché for a reason, honey [5]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cinderella - Freeform, Cinderella Elements, M/M, Male Cinderella, OOC, fairytale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 19:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9508835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoeteniets/pseuds/zoeteniets
Summary: “I heard that the Prince has a thing for blondes,” said Rebecca, tossing her hair over her shoulder.“That’s funny; I heard that he prefers girls who are clever and witty,” replied Chrissie.“I heard he doesn’t like girls at all,” muttered Robert under his breath....A fairlytale AU in which Robert is Cinderella, the White girls are the ugly stepsisters, and the author has no excuses.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I sat down with a plan of writing a quick fairytale au of about 1,000 words to celebrate reaching 100 followers on tumblr. Five hours later and I end up with this...
> 
> EDIT: Wow I was tired last night. I noticed a couple of mistakes, but hopefully they should be fixed now :)

Once upon a time, there was a mansion on a hill. In that mansion lived a beautiful young man, with hair as bright as spun gold, and eyes as blue as the deep sea. His name was Robert, and he lived a happy life until misfortune befell his family. The boy’s mother and father died of an illness, and the boy’s older brother disappeared. His little sister married and went to live with her husband’s family in a land far, far away. Which left the boy all alone with nowhere to go.

He lived quietly in his home, with only the mice for company. Until one day the mansion was sold to Duke Lawrence White. The Duke very kindly allowed Robert to stay at the mansion and promised him a job as his personal valet. But what Robert didn’t realise was that Lawrence was bringing his two daughters Christine and Rebecca to come and live with him too.

They were all very nice to him at first. But within a short time, their behaviour turned to cruelty. The Duke had promised to hire more servants, but he was a greedy man and so he never did hire any extra staff, leaving Robert to cook and clean and sew for the Duke and his daughters all by himself.

The sisters especially had been kind to him at first, and he had enjoyed their attentions. But soon the sisters realised that each of them wanted him for their own, and instead of turning their anger upon each other, they instead were angry at him. The whole family was cruel to him, but the sisters especially seemed to enjoy finding ever more degrading things for him to do.

 “Why should he sit in the parlour with us? He’s just a kitchen servant! And anyway, he’ll get soot and dust everywhere,” said Chrissie one day.

“And, why should he have nice clothes,” said Rebecca, “No one will see him, and he’ll just ruin them anyway. Father, you should dress him in coarser fabrics, and let us have the silks and linens.”

Old Duke Lawrence would do anything his daughters asked of him. And so, Robert was reduced to living only in the kitchen, dressed in rags, soot and cobwebs tangled in his once bright and shining hair.

Robert was strong both in body and in spirit. But every time he thought of rebelling or fighting back Lawrence reminded him that it was only because of their charity that he was able to live in his childhood home, and that he could be thrown out of it at any moment. He could try to beg a living somewhere else, of course, but who would want such a bedraggled and beaten down thing such as him?

The mansion on the hill was on the outskirts of a kingdom ruled by a powerful Queen. Her husband, a tyrannical and cruel ruler, had died many years before and she had ruled in place of her young son, the dashing and handsome Prince Aaron. While many people had feared that the son's temperament would be as bad as his father's Queen Chasity had raised her son to be kind, conscientious, and fair. The whole kingdom was looking forward to the day the Prince turned twenty-one and they could all celebrate together as a nation.

One day, Robert opened the door to the manor to find a messenger from the Queen with an invite to the prince’s birthday celebrations addressed to all the occupants of the house. Robert read the letter with a sense of excitement. The letter clearly stated that everyone in the whole kingdom was to attend the celebration, as the Prince wanted to share his birthday with all his subjects. Robert had not been to the castle since before his mother and father died and he was thrilled to have the chance to go. Maybe he would be able to find a better job, or perhaps he could recognise someone who knew his family and ask them to take him away.

He had barely closed the door when Chrissie came by and snatched the letter from him.

“How dare you read our letters!” she cried.

“But it is addressed to me too!” Robert argued.

Rebecca, in turn, grabbed the letter from her sister, “Oh Daddy, the Prince has invited us to a ball.”

“Well, that is wonderful news!” said Duke Lawrence, “Obviously, we will have to get you new clothes for the ball. Robert, go and organise the coach, we must go and visit the tailor.”

“But what about me?” asked Robert.

All three of them stopped, then turned to look at him, very slowly.

“And what about you?” asked Lawrence.

“The letter is addressed to all occupants of this manor.”

“Well, yes, but that can’t possibly be intended for a servant like you,” said Chrissie, spitefully.

“But my father was…”

“I know who your father was, boy!” Lawrence interrupted, “He was a nobody, just like you. This letter is clearly meant only for the nobility, and you are nothing. Go back to the kitchen and finish your chores.”

But Robert wouldn’t give up that easily, desperate for his chance at freedom. Every time he saw Lawrence he asked to go to the ball. Eventually, Lawrence grew so tired of Robert asking that he actually agreed to let him go!

“But,” said Lawrence, “Only if you can finish all the tasks in this house before sundown.”

Robert set out with a mop and broom, working with the greatest speed he ever had. He quickly finished the dining room, and the parlour, and the drawing room. But when he went back into the dining room he found the whole room covered in dirt, the curtains pulled down from their hanging, and the soot swept from out of the fireplaces and into the room.

Rebecca was standing in the centre of all the chaos.

“Don’t look at me,” she said, “It was like it when I got here. Clean up all this mess, and then come and help me with my hair.”

Robert sighed but did as she asked, sweeping, and scrubbing yet again. When he was done, he walked back through to the parlour. Again, while he had left the room spotlessly clean, it was now completely trashed, and this time it was Chrissie standing in the middle of it all, trying to look innocent.

And thus, the cycle went on. As soon as he finished cleaning one room, the next became filthy. It was clear that the sisters were making it so that he would never be done with his task.

Lawrence came to find him as the sun began to set.

“My my, boy. You have grown lazier than ever! I just walked through the drawing room to find it all in a mess. Have you done anything today? Never mind that all now. Go and help my daughters get ready. Clearly, you shan’t be going to the ball with them, but you might as well make yourself useful!”

Robert did as he was told, helping the girls primp and preen as they talked about which one of them the Prince was bound to fall in love with.

“I heard that the Prince has a thing for blondes,” said Rebecca, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“That’s funny; I heard that he prefers girls who are clever and witty,” replied Chrissie.

“I heard he doesn’t like girls at all,” muttered Robert under his breath.

Eventually, they were ready, and the girls and their father were on their way to the castle, leaving Robert alone in the mansion.

He let himself into Lawrence’s room to see if the old Duke had any clothes he could borrow. But quickly he reasoned that even if any of the Duke’s clothing fitted him, he’d never reach the castle in time. There was nothing for it, Robert realised, his one chance at freedom was gone.

He went out into the gardens, trying not to feel sorry for himself. His sister had loved the stars, and looking at them helped him feel closer to her, even if she had apparently forgotten him as soon as he had been married.

As he was looking up at the sky he saw a bright flash. A shooting star, he realised! Maybe if he made a wish…

“Robert?” a voice behind him called.

Startled, he picked up a fallen branch and turned, ready to face whatever intruder was there.

“Oh, put that down silly; I’m not here to hurt you,” standing before him was a beautiful woman, decked out in the finest robes that seemed to glitter and shine.

“Who are you? What do you want?” asked Robert, completely panicked, unwilling to part with his makeshift weapon.

“Do not be afraid,” the beautiful woman said, “I am your fairy godmother, but you can call me Leyla,” she did a jaunty little curtsey, “And I have been sent to you because it appears you have been denied a portion of your destiny…”

“My destiny? But what is so important about my destiny? I am just a servant.”

Leyla frowned at him and pulled a disgruntled face, “You are so much more than that and you know it! Now tell me, did something important happen today? And while we are at it, why on earth are you wearing those rags?”

Robert looked down at his clothes, “They are awful, aren’t they? But they are all I have. And nothing important happened today. Chrissie and Rebecca were awful as always, and Lawrence stopped me going to the ball like he always said he would.”

“You didn’t go to the ball!” exclaimed Leyla, “But that is awful! We must get you there at once!”

“But why? It’s just a silly party!”

“Oh hush, and let me work,” Leyla waved her arms and suddenly the air around him began to crackle with something that almost tasted like magic. “Now tell me, what is your inside leg measurement?”

If Robert ever had the chance to explain what had happened to him he wouldn’t have known where to start. All he knew was that one moment he was standing in a garden dressed head to toe in rags, and the next he was in a magically constructed carriage dressed in the finest robes he had ever laid eyes on. The shirt he was wearing was white embroidered silk, as were his trousers. There were fine white gloves on his hands and beautifully polished shoes on his feet. But best of all was the fine brocade jacket he wore.

“Now this I am especially proud of,” Leyla said as she handed it to him, “The blue of this coat matches the colour of your eyes perfectly…”

“Thank you so much,” said Robert, genuinely stunned.

“Don’t thank me just yet. The rest of this is up to you! My magic can only last for so long. So, you absolutely must leave the castle by the stroke of midnight. Do you understand?”

Robert nodded his assent and soon he was whisked away in the magic carriage, which travelled at an incredible speed. In almost no time at all he was inside the castle, gazing at the beautiful decorations and furnishings.

It was funny, but the place almost felt like home…

He entered the great ballroom and found it swirling with bright silks and loud music. Robert couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he moved through the crowd in search of a drink. He nodded to the nobles that looked at him and curtseyed to the ladies. Robert seemed to draw attention everywhere he went. But rather than making him shy or anxious, he revelled in the attention. A feeling of pride and confidence swelled in his chest.

Perhaps he was over confident, as in the distance he heard a familiar voice cry, “Who is that?”

Robert turned his head slightly to see Rebecca and Chrissie huddled together near to where several couples were dancing.

“I don’t know,” replied Rebecca, “But he is very handsome.”

“Are you sure you don’t know? He seems very familiar…”

Robert was trying to decide if it was funny or heartbreaking that they didn’t recognise their servant when he wasn’t covered in inches of dirt when Lawrence swooped in.

“As handsome as he is, remember girls, you are here for the Prince! Rumour has it that he is seeking to find a bride tonight, and it better be one of you two!”

Robert turned away, happy to chuckle at the old fool. No one in their right mind would want to marry either of his vile daughters unless, of course, they were after status and power themselves. And, clearly, the Prince didn’t need that. Although it was a little troublesome that said Prince was apparently nowhere to be found. Maybe he had seen the White sisters coming and done a runner. Robert wouldn't have blamed him. 

Never mind, Robert thought. Despite his fairy godmother’s insistence that tonight had some big impact on his destiny, all Robert really wanted to do was have a good time. With that in mind, he went off to find some wine.

Glass in hand, he decided to watch the dancing from afar and soak up the atmosphere. After all, it would still be a very bad idea to run into the Whites and have them recognise him.

He was just perusing the crowd when he saw a handsome young man dressed in grey silk, with a black jacket that almost matched Robert’s own. Their eyes met, and for a moment Robert was completely struck. Had he met this man before? It almost felt like he knew him.

Robert had to know more about him, so he moved through the crowd, unable to keep his eyes off the handsome man. For his part, the other man stood still and waited, equally captivated, until Robert finally reached him.

“Are you not dancing?” Robert asked.

“No,” said the other man, “I don’t dance with idiots.”

“That’s all right then, dance with me,” Robert said with an easy smile.

The other man looked unsure and bit his lip a little. Robert felt all his blood rush southwards. “Unless there is something else you would rather do?” Robert suggested, desperate not to let the other man go that quickly.

It worked. The other man gestured for him to follow and lead him out into the castle gardens.

“Have you ever been here before?” the man in black asked.

“I have not,” Robert answered.

“That’s funny, I could have sworn I’ve seen you before.”

“I had the same feeling…” Robert said truthfully, “Let’s not worry about it, though. You clearly know your way around, and I trust you to guide me.”

The other man smiled at that, a shy little thing that Robert was suddenly desperate to see again.

They walked in the garden for a little while. The path was illuminated with lanterns that cast a delightful glow on the other man’s cheekbones. Robert was even more enthralled when the other man caught him staring and started to blush a little.

They talked as they walked, of all sorts of inconsequential things. Their conversation ran from politics to botany, from literature to travel. Robert was caught between wanting to tell this man everything about himself, and wanting to be silent forever just so he could hear the other man talk in his beautiful quiet tones.

When they completed their circuit around the lantern-lit path the other man suggested that they ought to head back to the castle and the party. As he moved away Robert felt a great tugging at his chest, as if there was a string tied to his ribcage that bound him to the other man.

Unwilling to let him go that quickly he desperately tried to find a way for them to stay together a little longer.

“Wait,” he said, “I’ve lost one of my gloves. I must have dropped it on the path.”

“I will help you look for it, but it can’t have gone far; you’ve only just taken them off.”

They searched on the path for a while, Robert making a fine pantomime of searching, but eventually, they gave up.

“I’m sorry, my friend, but it is not here. You will just have to get another pair,” said his companion, heading once again to return to the castle.

“Please stay,” Robert called out, “I’m sorry. The glove isn’t here.”

“I know, I just told you that.”

“No, I mean I know the glove isn’t here, I made it up,” Robert admitted, reaching into his pocket to show both of his gloves.

“Oh, so you just like messing me around?” the other man asked angrily, turning away again. But this time Robert grasped his hand and held him near. 

“I’m not messing you around,” said Robert, dismayed his plan was not working out in the way he had expected.

“Oh, and how do you figure that one out?”

Robert decided to be bold. There was no use shying away from the fact that he wanted this man entirely. Even his snarky responses were turning him on.

“Because we both why we’re still here.”

The other man looked up at him from underneath his eyelashes, somehow acting coy, shy, and seductive all at once.

“Do I now? Why don’t you show me?”

There was nothing for it but to kiss him, Robert decided. So, that’s what he did. Wonderfully, the other man kissed back instantly. His kisses were heavy, biting things, and Robert was overjoyed to find that they were both so desperate for each other.

The other man might have been quiet and shy when they were talking, but now he was bold, grabbing Robert by the lapels and shoving him against a wall. Then his hands were all over him, one moment tangled in his hair, the next reaching up to slide his jacket clean off his shoulders. So bold! So enchanting!

Then it all came crashing to a halt and the clock started to chime.

“Midnight already?” Robert groaned, “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“What? No! Stay,” his new lover said in-between kisses.

“No, I have to. I’m sorry,” Robert replied regretfully, untangling himself from his embrace.

“Wait!”

But Robert couldn’t risk staying any longer, for fear he might be drawn back under the spell of ice blue eyes and kissed red lips.

“I’m so sorry!” he shouted over his shoulder as he took off running. 

He made it out of the castle grounds as the last chime struck. All at once his beautiful clothes turned back into rags, and the magic carriage he had travelled in was nowhere to be seen. But Robert didn’t mind because he was too high from those intoxicating kisses he had shared only moments before. Oh, if only he could have stayed a little longer!

It wasn’t until he was halfway back to the mansion that he realised he didn’t know his mysterious lover’s name. Nor had he given his own. But what was the point in dreaming they would meet again? Robert was walking back to his old life as a servant in his old family home. Cold, dejected and entirely abandoned. But now at least, he would have the memory of this night to keep him warm.

The following morning the White sisters sat bleary-eyed around the breakfast table, while their father stared sourly into his breakfast.

“I can’t believe neither of you spoke to the Prince! What were you doing all last night?” the Duke said.

“Dancing…” sighed Rebecca.

“It’s not our fault father; hardly anyone spoke to him all night. I asked around and everyone who had seen him said he disappeared off to the gardens, and then only came back to the ball to wish his mother goodnight,” said Chrissie, “No one knew who he was with, nor where he had gone.”

Well, at least the Prince had a good night, Robert thought to himself.

He went back to busying himself with his chores, hoping that the work might distract him from the phantom touch of lips upon his own.

It wasn’t until much later in the day that there was a knock on the door. Lawrence beat him to opening it, but Robert hovered in the corridor to eavesdrop.

“Duke Lawrence,” said the messenger, “I come on the order of the Queen to request a meeting with Lord Sugden, and to escort him back to the castle.”

Robert gasped; it had been such a long time since anyone had used his title that he had almost forgotten he had it. He rushed forward to greet the guard, but Chrissie and Rebecca suddenly grabbed and restrained him, clasping their hands over his mouth so that he could not cry out.

“Lord Sugden is not here,” answered Lawrence.

“But this is his home, and you are his guardian, correct?”

“Indeed, but he out hunting, and will not be back for many hours.”

“No matter,” the messenger said, “For I have travelled far today, and need to rest. I am happy to wait for Lord Sugden until he returns.”

“Would you not prefer for me to send him to the castle tomorrow?”

“No,” said the messenger forcefully, “I am afraid that I really must insist.”

Though he was very strong, Robert was not quite strong enough to throw both of the White sisters off him. Between the two of them, they bundled him off to the kitchen, where they threw him down onto the cinders and locked the door behind them.

He rushed to the door, banging on it with all his might, but it was no use. The messenger must have been taken to the parlour on the other side of the building.

“It’s not fair!” he shouted at the door, “It’s not fair!”

“No, it’s not is it?” said a voice from behind him.  

“Leyla!” Robert was relieved to see his fairy godmother sitting on the kitchen bench, “Please, would you help me escape from here?”

“And where will you go?”

Ah, he hadn’t thought of that.

“I’ll go to the castle. I met a man there, and I need to see him again,” Robert answered desperately.  

“What if he is not there?”

“Then I will work. I will sell my labour. Please, I thought I was fine with never seeing him again, but now I have a chance to escape and I cannot let it pass me by!”

“And if your mystery man does not want you anymore?” 

“Then I will remain in the castle so that he can find me again if he changes his mind. Please, Leyla, I’ll do anything to see him again!”

“Anything?”

“I swear, anything!”

She stood, shaking fairy dust from her clothes. “Remember this conversation, Lord Sugden. Remember the desperation you felt, and how you swore to do anything for this man. For there will come a time that this vow will be called upon, and you must always be true to it.”

And with a wave of her hand, she unlocked the door.

Robert raced out into the house, hoping that the messenger was still there.

“I am Lord Sugden, please take me with you!” he cried out as he entered the parlour.

The messenger stared at him.

“Oh this, this is our serving boy Muggins,” lied Lawrence with an easy smile, “Muggins here is a little unwell, and sometimes has delusions of grandeur, doesn’t he girls?”

Both of the White girls nodded furiously. But the messenger didn’t seem convinced.

“Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall if a little scrawny,” said the messenger, “He matches the description of the man the Prince was with last night. And I was instructed that every man who fits this description and who is of noble birth but be taken to the castle at once.”

“The Prince!” both Robert and Lawrence exclaimed.

“Yes. And frankly, I do not care if you are a serving boy or a Prince of this realm,” the messenger said to Robert, “By order of the Queen, you are to come with me.”

The messenger led him outside and seated him in a carriage dressed all in the royal livery. Lawrence rushed out to see him go, looking a little frantic around the edges.

“You will remember me boy, and the kindness I have shown you?” asked Lawrence.

“Oh, don’t worry, I will,” Robert replied with a smile.

As soon as they reached the castle the messenger, who Robert soon discovered was also the Lord Chamberlain Patrick, insisted that he be bathed and dressed in clothing more suited to his station. Then, freshly scrubbed and polished, he was lead into a large drawing room.

There were several other young men there all about his age and height, all with the same blue eyes and blonde hair.

The Queen and her retinue soon entered, and all of the men bowed to her. When Robert lifted his head, he saw something that he never thought he would lay eyes on again; his coat from the ball.

The Queen turned to one of the men. “Are you the man my son was with the night of his birthday ball?” she asked.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” the man replied with another bow.

“Try this coat on, please.”

The man did as he was asked, shrugging on Robert’s coat. He pulled the fastenings tight around him, but it was obvious that the coat was too big.

“No, this will not do. The coat is too big to be yours, and the shade of blue not even slightly correct.”

The man was dismissed and the whole charade started again. In turn, each man was asked if he had been with the Prince, and each one responded that he had. But every time the coat was tried on the Queen sighed that the shade of blue was not correct.

Then came Robert’s turn.

“Are you the man my son was with the night of his birthday ball?” she asked.

“I was with a man on the night of the ball, Your Highness,” Robert answered truthfully, “But I did not ask his name, nor he mine.”

The Queen paused at that and narrowed her eyes at him. “Very well,” she said after a moment, “Try the coat on, please.”

He watched her expression change as the coat fell around his shoulders. He was about to ask what the matter was when someone burst through the doors of the chamber.

“Mother, really, stop this ridiculous charade. I will find him but I will find him in my own damn time, and without dragging him before whatever inquisition you have planned for him! Besides, I don't even know if he's noble or not! Honestly…”

And that was the moment their eyes met again. Robert felt exactly the same rush he had felt before.

“Ah, hello…” Robert said, unsure of what to say, “Your Highness.” Robert suddenly remembered his station, and he ducked his head into a deep bow.

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” said the Prince, lifting Robert’s head. He pulled Robert down for a kiss but broke away quickly before it could grow more passionate.

“Mother, well done, you have found the man I am going to marry,” Prince Aaron announced over his shoulder.

“Wait,” said Robert, “Not that I’m not delighted to hear that, but can you even marry a man?”

“Of course, I can,” said Aaron, pulling him even closer, “Didn’t you know? This is a fairy tale romance, and you are my ‘happily ever after.’”  

“And you are mine,” said Robert, grinning and pulling him in for another kiss.

…

The day that Prince Aaron and Lord Sugden were married was a great day of celebration in the Kingdom. The people had at first been a little surprised to see their Prince marrying another man, but they soon became used to the sight of the two of them together in the town, laughing and joking and smiling and kissing. It soon became strange to see the Prince without his beautiful blonde beau.

Robert remembered his promise not to forget the ‘kindness’ the Whites had shown him. But every time he thought of vengeance he looked into the beautiful blue eyes of his husband, and his heart softened. But Prince Aaron did ban the Whites from every stepping foot in his court when it was discovered that Lawrence had been withholding all the letters Robert’s sister had written to him. Before meeting Aaron, Robert might have been crippled with anger, but now he was only glad to have his little sister back.

And Robert remembered his vow to his fairy godmother to always do everything he could for his lover. Not that he needed the vow; putting Aaron first became second nature to him, and he always delighted in having an opportunity to prove to Aaron how much he loved him.

The kingdom prospered under their rule. And of course, it should go without saying really, they lived happily ever after…

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Man how cheesy is that ending! This fic is a mess and out of character but I had so much fun writing it! Come scream at me on tumblr, I'm iwillsendapostcard :)


End file.
